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These Homemade Chicken Nuggets are perfect for picky eaters, meal prep, or whenever that fast food craving hits. They’re insanely crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. And this recipe uses already ground chicken to make your life easier. We’ve got McDonald’s at home!
These homemade chicken nuggets are, dare I say, the most perfect McDonald’s dupe. Trust me, once you make these, you’ll never need the drive-thru again. The secret? A double-coating method of cornstarch, followed by a light, bubbly tempura batter, creates the golden crunch we all crave. Serve them with my caesar salad, yucca fries, and brown butter chocolate chip cookies for the best kid-friendly lunch.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Ground chicken – I prefer ground chicken breast but the higher-fat ground chicken works well, too.
Spices: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper – We want well-seasoned chicken nuggets.
Cornstarch – This is for the first coating on the nuggets to seal in any moisture.
All-purpose flour – This is combined with spices as the base of the wet batter.
Baking powder – This contributes to the lightness and airiness of the batter. This is what we want for an extra crispy crunch.
Cold club soda – Similar to the baking powder, the club soda adds to the airiness and slows the development of gluten to avoid a bready batter.
For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe index card below!
Tips and Tricks
If using Morton kosher salt or coarse salt, reduce each teaspoon of salt to 3/4 teaspoon.
The batter should be cold! Keep the batter in the refrigerator or on ice in between batches. This slows down the gluten formation making an extra crispy batter.
Fry the nuggets in batches of 5 to keep the temperature of the oil from dropping too much. Check the temperature and adjust heat accordingly to maintain a temperature of 350℉.
For making ahead and freezing: Prep the nuggets ahead! Form nuggets, dredge them in cornstarch, and freeze them on a sheet tray. Once the nuggets are firm, transfer them to a freezer storage bag. When you’re ready to cook them, prepare the wet batter and proceed with the recipe.
Reheat nuggets in the oven at 400℉ for 7-10 minutes. They’ll crisp right up again.
Make it fun! I made these for a New Year’s Eve appetizer and topped it with crème fraîche, caviar, and chives. It’s the perfect bite.
More Fast Food Dupes
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Prep the nuggets:
Set up your dredging station. Prepare a large sheet tray with parchment paper. Add the cornstarch to a plate or small sheet tray.
In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, spices, and salt. Use your hands to combine the mixture, making sure the seasoning is evenly distributed.
Using oiled hands, scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the ground chicken and form it into a chicken nugget shape. Then, coat the nugget in the cornstarch and place it on the sheet tray. Freeze the tray of nuggets for 2 hours or until firm.
When your nuggets are frozen, prepare the wet batter and heat your frying oil. Fill a large, heavy-bottomed pot halfway with oil and set it over medium heat.
While the oil heats, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt in a medium bowl. Then, pour in the cold club soda and gently fold the mixture with a fork just until combined, the batter should remain slightly lumpy. Don’t overmix; simply break up any large clumps.
For frying:
Once the oil has reached 350℉, remove the sheet tray of nuggets from the freezer. Have a paper towel-lined plate or sheet tray ready for draining the oil from the nuggets and a spider or tongs within reach.
Dip 5 nuggets into the wet batter. Use a fork to lift them out, letting the excess batter drip off a bit, and then place them directly into the oil. Only do a few nuggets at a time to avoid dropping the temperature of the oil. Fry the nuggets for 4-6 minutes, until golden brown and fully cooked through.
Now, remove the nuggets from the oil and let them drain on the prepared plate. Continue frying the remaining nuggets in batches.
Serve immediately while hot, with your favorite dipping sauces and toppings.
If using Morton kosher salt or coarse salt, reduce each teaspoon of salt to 3/4 teaspoon.
The batter should be cold! Keep the batter in the refrigerator or on ice in between batches. This slows down the gluten formation making an extra crispy batter.
Fry the nuggets in batches of 5 to keep the temperature of the oil from dropping too much. Check the temperature and adjust heat accordingly to maintain a temperature of 350℉.
For making ahead and freezing: Prep the nuggets ahead! Form nuggets, dredge them in cornstarch, and freeze them on a sheet tray. Once the nuggets are firm, transfer them to a freezer storage bag. When you’re ready to cook them, prepare the wet batter and proceed with the recipe.
Reheat nuggets in the oven at 400F for 7-10 minutes. They’ll crisp right up again.
Make it fun! I made these for a New Year’s Eve appetizer and topped it with crème fraîche, caviar, and chives. It’s the perfect bite.
Calories: 64kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 245mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 48IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
